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Some more user friendly additions/improvements...


Tristan M

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Alright, I've got a few more thoughts on some improvements and additions to VW.

1.) Could we make the spiral tool a little more user friendly? For instance, could we set it up so it is directly editable when created without having to ungroup and convert to a poly or line? Also, what about a simplified way of creating a spiral based on the Golden Mean?

2.) I still feel the line attribute editing needs some work...its a little difficult to click and drag to set the dash lengths and such...a numeric window like in Illustrator would be much more xpedient in my humble opinion.

3.) I know this already exists for plants, but what about adding some sort of "sketch-type" filter which can be applied to the whole drawing to make it appear as though it were hand rendered? Something very similar to the plant tool in Landmark would be nice.

4.) How about inproving the image export options...right now it's a little awkward if you want to enlarge or reduce an exported image within the window/dialogue.

5.) I really like the new gradient tools available with VW 10 & 10.5, but what about implementing a gradient mesh tool similar to Adobe Illustraor...would come in handy for presentation of large vegetation masses.

6.) Lastly, and I know this is stretching a bit, but there are some 3-D programs which do this in particular...but what about implementing a function which enables VW to reconfigure it's interface so it exactly clones/mimicks those of competing CAD products? i.e. AutoCAD...I have a number of classmates who dislike AutoCAD and it might be easier for them to make the switch if VW could resemble AutoCAD initially and help them to make the transition...this may work in regards to other professionals in the field...just trying to think of ways for VW to take a little more of the market share from AutoCAD...but this is purely conjecture and I don't know that it would work at all. I would just like to see VW become more prevalent in the industry. I've used both VW and AutoCAD and if I had my druthers I would never leave the VW environment, just my own personal opinion.

Well that's all I can think of for now...I'm really looking forward to seeing what evolutionary steps VW takes in it's incarnation.

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quote:

.) I know this already exists for plants, but what about adding some sort of "sketch-type" filter which can be applied to the whole drawing to make it appear as though it were hand rendered? Something very similar to the plant tool in Landmark would be nice.


This already exists as an excellent add-on with many styles and variations available.

go to www.doodle.com

quote:

but what about implementing a function which enables VW to reconfigure it's interface so it exactly clones/mimicks those of competing CAD products? i.e. AutoCAD

This sounds like trouble to me :-0 Better for VW to look like VW I think!

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About the interface ...

I do like the idea of an adaptable interface. you can currently edit the menu's, tool palettes and shortcuts, but that doesn't go far enough.

First of all, VectorWorks needs non-modal managers. Currently, when you launch a command, you get a dialog box where you have to change some settings. Then you click OK to confirm and execute the command. This was great 10 years ago.

Today, you're far better of with non-modal managers. You launch a command, you get the information about that command in a dialog box that can stay open all the time and that allows you to change settings on the fly. For instance: if you have to make a lot of symbols, you simply launch the command, you get to select objects, convert them into a symbol, select the next set of objects, convert them and so on without eacht time having to launch the command.

Second, those dialog boxes or active tool managers can of course be floating, but you should also be able to dock them in the interface.

A great example of a non-model manager is the current Info Palette. You change a value, and you immediately see the result. You can keep it floating, or you can (on Windows) dock it in the interface.

Those are the things that would really improve the workflow and speed in VectorWorks. Select a tool or command, change the settings in an active tool manager, and see immediately what happens in the drawing.

And about the idea of trying to make VW look more like ACAD: if there is one really bad example of a horrible interface, it's ACAD. Badly designed icons, absolutely no logic in the way the menus are organized and so on.

There are, however, a couple of things I do like about ACAD, but they have nothing to do with interface design: one of them is the fact that linetypes can be treated (and re-used) as ressources, another is the fact that you can use viewports. It would make life so much easier in VectorWorks if we could get rid of the current properties palette, and group it all together in the ressource palette. That move should allow us to - finally - use whatever 32-bit color we like to use, and to easily find it by browsing the ressource manager. Same for linetypes and patterns.

Cheers,

BaRa

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NO! This is exactly the worst thing for anyone trying to switch to Vectorworks.

Firstly, Vectorworks is not AutoCAD; it is impossible to mimic the interface exactly, so users end up frustrated anyway.

Secondly, why imitate a lousy interface, and introduce inefficient ways of working in Vectorworks? Users should learn and use the best way to accomplish each task.

quote:

but what about implementing a function which enables VW to reconfigure it's interface so it exactly clones/mimicks those of competing CAD products? i.e. AutoCAD...I have a number of classmates who dislike AutoCAD and it might be easier for them to make the switch if VW could resemble AutoCAD initially and help them to make the transition...

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